Dave's 150G Starphire Zeo Reef~

[Dave's Reef]

Nice tank Dave!!!

Would you mind sharing your Zeo dosing schedule?

Are happy with the results you have got with Zeo?

Thanks very much for the kind words, I appreciate it! It's very much a work in progress though and has a ways to go yet....

My current Zeovit dosing schedule is this:

.20 mls of Start2 am & pm everyday
2 mls of Xtra everyday
2 mls of BBalance everyday
3 drops of Sponge Power everyday
*6 drops of Zeo Bac every Mon. & Fri.
*6 drops of JOD Complex every Mon. & Fri.
*3 drops of AAHC every Mon. & Fri.
*3 mls of Coral Snow mixed with BBalance, SP, Bac, AAHC & JOD every Mon. & Fri.

Zeozyme once or twice a week also....

K Balance Plus as needed. I rarely use this one, it's very powerful and can fry your corals if overdosed. I test regularly and use it very sparingly when low.

All in all I've been very pleased with the Zeovit method so far. My tank is doing phenomenally well for only being up 9 months. I'm really happy with the colors I'm getting so far and just over all health of the system.

I'd like to try using Spur2 soon to try and tweak the colors just a bit more! I'll keep you posted with results once I begin using it. Supposedly you can see results within a few days of using it!

Dave keep the pics coming.......

I'll have some up within the next few days. I've got some new arrivals coming and will take some pics once everyone is settled.

Also, despite the great results of the zeo unfortunately when I changed out my t5's recently the new bulbs shocked a few of my corals and some have browned a bit and a couple have even had tissue recession. I'm a bit disappointed but know that it's just temporary. Lesson learned! :rolleye1:

 

[DanW]

Your a very dedicated man Dave. There is no way I could keep up with a schedule like that, mad props man. Can't wait to see the new additions!

 

[v1...rotate]

Also, despite the great results of the zeo unfortunately when I changed out my t5's recently the new bulbs shocked a few of my corals and some have browned a bit and a couple have even had tissue recession. I'm a bit disappointed but know that it's just temporary. Lesson learned! :rolleye1:

What bulbs did you replace them with? More powerful?

Sorry to hear Dave.

 

[Dave's Reef]

Your a very dedicated man Dave. There is no way I could keep up with a schedule like that, mad props man. Can't wait to see the new additions!

Thanks much Dan, I take that as hi praise from a guy with a tank like yours! The main reason I'm able to keep up with the dosing schedule is cause the tank is at my place of business, which I'm at pretty much 24/7/365....

I can't wait too, very excited!~

What bulbs did you replace them with? More powerful?

Sorry to hear Dave.

I was using a pair of UVL Super Actinic's and a pair Fiji Purples all 54 watt overdriven with an IceCapp 660 ballast. I'm still using the Fiji's but switched to ATI Blue + after hearing how much more par they have... and I can say they must cause it shocked my corals! No par meter on hand but the results say it all.

1st of all I went a little too long (8 months) without changing them out, lesson learned. Second, I should have cut the light schedule in half but didn't, next lesson learned.

From now on I plan on changing out my t5 bulbs every 6 months and cutting the light schedule a few hours and bring it back up incrementally a week at a time. By the way, I looked at some original pics of when I first set up the light rack and my UVL's were actually "blue". Recently, when I finally changed them out they were "white", not good. I also believe this was the cause of my cyano problem as well. The color shift from the UVL's mainly and probably the Fiji's to a degree was all the cyano needed to flourish.

 

[v1...rotate]

I was using a pair of UVL Super Actinic's and a pair Fiji Purples all 54 watt overdriven with an IceCapp 660 ballast. I'm still using the Fiji's but switched to ATI Blue + after hearing how much more par they have... and I can say they must cause it shocked my corals! No par meter on hand but the results say it all.

1st of all I went a little too long (8 months) without changing them out, lesson learned. Second, I should have cut the light schedule in half but didn't, next lesson learned.

From now on I plan on changing out my t5 bulbs every 6 months and cutting the light schedule a few hours and bring it back up incrementally a week at a time. By the way, I looked at some original pics of when I first set up the light rack and my UVL's were actually "blue". Recently, when I finally changed them out they were "white", not good. I also believe this was the cause of my cyano problem as well. The color shift from the UVL's mainly and probably the Fiji's to a degree was all the cyano needed to flourish.

Thanks Dave, yeah... seems to be important to replace them at the required time.

Maybe another option instead of cutting the light schedule a few hours could be to raise the hood fixture higher during the initial period and gradually lower it over time to its original height. Of course this will be easily achieved with your new automatic light lifter

Looking forward to the pics!

 

[blk94rs]

Thanks for the reply on your Zeo schedule.

Any words of wisdom for the 14 zeo day cycle?

I just started curing my dry rock today (which I anticipate will take about 3 weeks) in a Rubbermaid tub. Once cured, I will be setting my new tank up and doing the 14 day cycle.

 

[Dave's Reef]

Of course this will be easily achieved with your new automatic light lifter

Ha, ha... Yeah did you get it shipped out to me yet ya dog, lol! I swear, if I can find someone stateside to put one together it WILL be mine!!!

It's a gadget I REALLY wished I'd have further pursued prior to setting it up. I was just so anxious though, lol! :lolspin:

It's still on my to do list, just need to find someone with the mad skills to bring it to life for me....

I'm still anxiously waiting for you to get your tank wet and wild! Now that will be some tank once it's up and running!!!

 

[Dave's Reef]

Thanks for the reply on your Zeo schedule.

Any words of wisdom for the 14 zeo day cycle?

I just started curing my dry rock today (which I anticipate will take about 3 weeks) in a Rubbermaid tub. Once cured, I will be setting my new tank up and doing the 14 day cycle.

No problem...

Words of wisdom would be: Follow the instructions to the letter and you will succeed! Just be sure to follow up with G. Alexander and or Bob over on the Zeovit forum. I wouldn't be where am at with my tank if it weren't for their advice and help with the Zeovit!

Good luck with your new tank, please put up a build thread so we can follow along. It's always fun and educational to see others experiences good bad and otherwise. Always more to learn as far as I'm concerned and that's after doing this for 13 years or so now!

 

[DanW]

...Thankfully, I've got some new guys coming from a friend soon (hopefully)...

New additions arrive yet? Waiting for pictures.

 

[Dave's Reef]

New additions arrive yet? Waiting for pictures.

No, sorry Dan... not just yet. Should be coming Friday I'm told though!

Check back here then and hopefully, barring any unforeseen circumstances, I'll have some pics up Friday afternoon.

Thanks for asking!

 

[Dave's Reef]

A few new things I picked up!

A few new things I picked up!

Well the wonderful weather we've been having lately has delayed my shipment of new friends from coming but that hasn't stopped me from doing some local shopping in the mean while. Thought I'd post these up to keep your taste buds going till the weather clears!

Here's a few new things...

Some new stuff I picked up at a LFS, Mariculture pieces:

This looks like an A.Humulis, I've been searching for one of these for many years and finally was able to snatch one up!

Group shot

This last piece is one that's showing some real potential, real nice purple color with green polyps! It was a rescue from my transfer mishap when setting up my new tank last year.

Looked like this just a few months ago and literally came back from only a polyp or two!

 

[DanW]

Wide variety of stuff you got going on there Dave. Keep an eye on those mushrooms, I had some in my last tank that got to plauge proportions.

 

[Reefer08]

Wide variety of stuff you got going on there Dave. Keep an eye on those mushrooms, I had some in my last tank that got to plauge proportions.

I would definitely keep an eye out on any mushrooms Dave! Im having problem with blue mushrooms in my tank A few have spread very close to the base of many colonies and caused the corals to recede. Aside from the receding at the base the coral is still healthy.

Dan, do you have any ideas how to get rid of them? Kalk? Scrape them off? Boiling water? Let me know what you advise please.

Sorry to hijack your thread Dave, just curious how to get rid of them.

 

[Dave's Reef]

Wide variety of stuff you got going on there Dave. Keep an eye on those mushrooms, I had some in my last tank that got to plauge proportions.

Thanks Dan!

Ah yes... the mushrooms :blown:. Well, those were hold overs from the last tank actually. The piece of rock they're on is from my last tank, all other rock except for a few are new. There weren't that many (mushrooms) to start off this new tank with and they obviously have multiplied.

Do you have any suggestions for how to :uzi: eradicate them? I really don't care too much for them and was thinking of taking that particular piece out or removing them manually and selling them off or trading them in to a LFS?

If I remove the rock all together I thought I might replace it with a nice piece of shelf rock or something to place more SPS on?

 

[Dave's Reef]

I would definitely keep an eye out on any mushrooms Dave! Im having problem with blue mushrooms in my tank A few have spread very close to the base of many colonies and caused the corals to recede. Aside from the receding at the base the coral is still healthy.

Dan, do you have any ideas how to get rid of them? Kalk? Scrape them off? Boiling water? Let me know what you advise please.

Sorry to hijack your thread Dave, just curious how to get rid of them.

Don't sweat it, as you can see above, I just posted the same question, lol! :beer:

 

[Dave's Reef]

New fish....

New fish....

Well, a little tease for you guys....

"One" of these little guys came home with me today from Aquatouch... are you sweating now Austin, lol? :lolspin:

 

[minhvu]

Awesome pickup. Dang, now I'm really jealous. How big are they?

 

[DanW]

My bet is on the Goldflake but I thought that you already had one Post some close ups when you get her home.

Do you have any suggestions for how to :uzi: eradicate them? I really don't care too much for them and was thinking of taking that particular piece out or removing them manually and selling them off or trading them in to a LFS?

Sorry Dave & Ramzy, I thought that I answered you guys but looking back I see that I didn't. Either take the rock out or break off small pieces of rock where they are attached. If you try to scrape them and miss a little those mothers will come back. I'm not big on Kalking or using boiling water. With my luck I'd somehow kill something that I didn't want to :sad2:

 

[mpoletti]

Very nice Dave. I like how they are in a tank with the tag Rare fish :lol:

 

[Dejavu]

So which one is it .